How long after chemo do you need to wait?

Harley44

Hi everyone,

I have just started chemo, I'm having 4 txs of TC, and will be finishing up in October, if all goes well. I had my 1st tx on 8/7!

Anyway, here's my question:

How long do I need to wait before starting reconstruction? I know that most of you women did the immediate reconstruction at the same time as your mast., but my surgeons insisted that I wait. I wasn't even sure I was going to do chemo, either.

Thanks for all your help, if anyone has any ideas about this.

Also, my nipple is sitting on my leg, in the groin area, and it is DISGUSTING!! My ps took my 'good' nipple, as I had a bi-lateral mast., and he attached it to my leg in the groin area... I can't wait to get it off there! It has morphed into a HUGE nipple, and he'll use it to make my new nips!

HARLEY

BethNY

Harley as soon as your counts go up you can have surgery. For me, it was 6 weeks after chemo. I was ready at four weeks, but I wanted to go on vacation first.

hope chemo is a breeze for you!

LisaSDCA

It depends on your reconstruction and it depends on your oncologist. I'm going to be having bilateral mastectomies (just had 2 lumps out so as not to delay the start of chemo) with immediate bilat. DIEPs (if the gods smile upon me), so it's a pretty involved surgery. And it is following a rigorous chemo (TAC x 6). So my oncologist wants me to wait a minimum of 8 weeks. I'm just approaching 6 weeks now and I know it's going to take his required 8 weeks just to line up the surgeons. So, I'm ready to go!
I'm sure yours will be shorter since you'll have already healed from your mastectomies. You'll be there in no time!
Lisa

Harley44

Thanks, Beth,

I hope so, too! I'm feeling depressed because my hair will fall out in 2 weeks, and now I'm even feeling worse about
'no breasts', but the worst thing, is NO HAIR!!

It's good you got to go on your vacation! We are planning a cruise in May, so I want to get this all over with, quick!

HARLEY

Harley44

Lisa,

I'm having saline implants, and my ps says it shouldn't be too involved. At least, I hope so! The nipple thing is bothering me, because it is SO disgusting!

Thanks! I can't wait! I am feeling so depressed about losing my hair, and 3 more txs!! I've been having awful diarrhea, and UGH!!!


HARLEY

twink

I was in for the bilat mastectomy and reconstruction less than 2 weeks after chemo stopped (13 days actually). My counts were good throughout treatment (with a couple of exceptions) thanks to the Neulasta I imagine.

Harley44

Twink,

Thanks for the encouraging words! My dr. wouldn't give me the Neulasta this time. They said that my pre treatment bloodwork was good, so no shot this time. I'll be going for bloodwork on Wed., so I guess I'll find out then how I am doing in that dept. But, this was only my 1st tx. I have 3 more, and will be finished on Oct. 9th, so I just was wondering how long I will have to wait before getting my reconstruction started.

Thanks again!

HARLEY

lnmshoes

I have one more Taxol treatment on 8/23 and have my reconstruction surgery scheduled for 10/8. I had most of my expansions done prior to chemo starting so now I just need two more expansions and then surgery!! I can't wait. I so hope the final implant is more comfortable than this expander. I had a right mastectomy and will have a small implant on the left side to hopefully give the same look on both sides when done.

Harley44

Mary,

My dr. wouldn't do the surgery at the time of my mast., because he wanted to wait til I was finished with chemo, but at the time, I wasn't even sure I was going to get chemo... Everyone here seems to have done immediate reconstruction, but I hear that it's harder when you do both at the same time. My bi-lateral mast. was easy! I had hardly any pain! But, I am not looking forward to the reconstruction, since I think that will hurt! I'm getting the expanders, and saline implants.

Good Luck with your surgery!
HARLEY

2curvy

Dear Harley: Don't worry too much about your hair. You may find that you don't miss it much. I actually LOVE having no hair. I had long blonde hair before. I bought a cute, short, wig that I constantly get compliments on. Otherwise, I go bald or wear scarves most of the time. Some plusses are: Quick in and out of the shower - no shaving, shampooing, conditioning, etc. No blow-drying, flat-ironing, no product use. No hair appts! Wigs are always ready to go, no fuss, no muss! My hair is starting to grow in and I have to shave now. I'm bummed! lol!

Colleen

Harley44

Colleen,

Thanks. I can NOT go bald with everyone staring at you everywhere you go... I am just SO UPSET about it!

I went for my bloodwork today, and no surprise... WBC IS LOW!! I was put on anitbiotics and neupogen shots. I had a terrible headache yesterday and I feel feverish today, so it feels like somethings brewing!

That stupid ignorant SOB onc. was probably just trying to save money by not giving me a Neulasta shot the day after the chemo, and now I will probably die of some infection because of him!

HARLEY

spar2

I waited 3 years and am fixing to have the expander exchange surgery for saline implant. It all has went so smoothly with no problems at all. The PS said he wished everyone would wait since you heal faster and less chance of infection if your body has been chemo free a while. Best to you, hope you have no problems.

Harley44

spar2,

yes, my ps doesnt' want to see me til the chemo is finished.

Since I'm having problems now with my onc., I hope I will get through the last 3 txs unscathed.

God Bless,
HARLEY

twink

Harley,
The only time my WBC bottomed out was when my onc told me I didn't need the neulasta (following my first Taxotere). The count went to borderline, I got thrush and was totally pissed off... I told him at the second Tx that he should not even consider not ordering up Neulasta for me. My insurance company covers the cost for goodness' sake! In retrospect, I don't think he was trying to save money but to avoid giving me more drugs than I needed. We tried it and it didn't work. 8 treatments, 7 neulasta shots..now I'm back at it with Carboplatin and Neulasta. Gotta love that drug.

Harley44

Twink,

Did you have many se's from Neulasta? I doubt that my onc will let me get it, because it costs so much, and he is not in network for my insurance. There are no In Network oncs in NC for my insurance! I am very frustrated! I told my ps that I am afraid of dying of an infection while getting chemo. If that happens, then I will have no worries about the reconstruction!

This onc agreed to see me as my onc, but when I decided to get chemo, he got really pissed off, because of the money issue! So now he is just cutting corners wherever he can, and he has me worried!

Thanks
HARLEY

victrola

It's not as bad as you imagine. I've been bald about 2 months now and i forget i'm bald. I have a tuft of Linus hair all over which I stroke and rub all the time which also helps if i get hot or sweaty. I'm sticking with cotton caps and if it's really cold I have some nice shrugs and one fleece cloche hat. I have a wig but it's hot and scratchy and even though it's a quality wig donated by 'wigs and wishes' (contact them online to see if any hair salons in your area participate with that charity they are WONDERFUL to work with), I feel more 'me' without a wig and either being bald or with a hat. I found it key to tell my kids exactly what was going down before it happened. Losing my hair scared them the most long before it happened , but talking to them in detail and using age appropriate analogies (chemo is weed killer, cancer are bad weeds) for my 9 and 11 year old utterly prepared them for what was to come. Also a book called 'Mom Has Cancer' , written by two sisters who's mom got cancer and she never discussed any of it, was tremendously special and helpful to them. It had simple drawings and a simple way of telling the kids how things could change.

At first i didn't know i was going to have chemo, but when that changed I told them and they remembered our talks and the book and I could see it meant death to them and they worried if they were going to get it, they were worried it was their fault...just like the social worker at the womens' center at the hospital said they would. I cut my hair short to prepare them for me looking different and i only had the short hair maybe 2-3 weeks before I realized if i made even the smallest effort to run my fingers through my hair, handfuls would come out. So a few days later I had my brother buzz it, video a tiny bit, with the kids there and it was a different look from the short hair i started with but closer to bald. Now i'm Linus bald and my youngest said, "Are you sad you don't have hair?" I said, "I'm a little bummed out but it's only temporary" . Short pause and she follows with, "Well, at least if you lost your arm it wouldn't grow back." Point taken. Check Mate. The student becomes the Master.

I find it most frustrating when i'm walking around the house comfortably and i have to go out to work or run an errand and I get to the car and I realize i don't have a hat on. It throws people off so i have to go back in and put a hat on. And it's not wise to wear a heavy knit shrug or hat if you're going to be indoors shopping, it's really easy to get overheated when you do chemo. So those stretchy cotton/spandex caps are great. I found a seller on etsy who has like 16 colors and you buy them in four packs. Saved my life. I spent ages hunting for the right cool hat. It's hard to find because stores allow you to try them on but you don't get a lot of selection and nothing for cancer baldness. I wound up sending quite a few hats back.

Know it also doesn't mean the worst case scenario. I used to think someone was going to die soon if i saw them clearly bald from chemo, now I know better. Sometimes it gets you better customer service, or people open more doors for you. I'll take it. I was worried that chemo would leave me looking 20 years older and gaunt. Unfortunately my appetite hasn't been affected very much (if at all, it's for the better) and I look my worst when I can't sleep or my rosacea crops up. Sleeping problems are real. Don't bother with ambien or valium. Their effects are so temporary in terms of getting you to sleep but after no time at all you find yourself waking up and tossing and turning all night and feeling nuts. If you have access to legal marijuna I suggest hemp oil or pot edibles.

I too, am frustrated having to wait indefinitely after chemo to have the final reconstruction because i wasn't aware that my numbers are anything-up or down. Just that they're fine enough to have chemo every third Tuesday. My chest filled with fluid after the last expansion. They would've done more expansion but i honestly want the tinest boobs insurance can by after having breasts that were nearly 5 lbs each removed. But it is better than the alternative which is a lot more suffering and leaving before you're ready.

Everyone is different so no telling how long you'll have to wait but you have fewer cycles than i do (i have six cycles total) so you'll get back to healing sooner than later. There is also some comfort in the baldness; as long as you are being treated you know the cancer is not coming back. You are doing what you can. Also lay off too much sugar and drop the booze and anything with hormones. Cancer loves sugar and hormones, especially breast cancer.